5 Famous Mormons Who Served Missions (& Where)

Lindsey Stirling (New York City)

Violinist, composer, dancer, and internet sensation Lindsey Stirling has performed all over the world. She’s played with John Legend, Michael Buble, and Josh Groban, and her YouTube videos have generated over a billion views. But before the fame, Lindsey did something that she still considers to be “one of the best journeys of [her] life.”

She went on a mission.

“Every day you are thinking about others,” Lindsey blogged of her experience. “I learned so much about relationships, love, and being selfless.”

For 18 months, Lindsey put aside her adoration of popular music and stylish clothing as she taught the restored gospel to the people of New York City. “This was a big sacrifice,” she said, “but it was so worth it . . . . I had to reach down inside myself and realize that there is more to me than my desires, my style, and my hobbies.” She continued, “God helped me discover a new side of myself.”

Though she’s now a household name, Lindsey still feels the effects of her mission. “I feel my mission was preparatory for my mission in life,” she told the Deseret News. “It prepared me to do what I’m now doing and use it . . . to try to bring light to people . . . . I will be forever grateful that I got to serve a mission.”